Writing YA Fiction or Coming-of-Age Stories? 14 Must-Read Authors

Mature Reading for Teen High School Boys and Young Adults
It's a sad fact that the majority of teenage boys and young men do not read anything beyond magazines or newspapers. Here is list of literature guaranteed to get teen boys and men hooked on books. Excellent for YA authors.
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Big Lake Poems: Pink Pickable Ladyslippers

Pink Pickable Ladyslippers
This one is from The Big Lake Poems anthology. The Lake Michigan dunes flora decorated my growing up and has inspired these poems. This one is about lady slippers, childhood and big life choices.

i wasn't to pick the lady slippers

that much was clear

but they are so pickable and plus i WANT to

i whined to grampa

as we walked to Lake Michigan

through the woods of the backdune

where their precious lady slipper

grew just to taunt me

let them grow he said

if you pick them, no one else can enjoy them

i didn't see that as my problem

there was no one around to see them anyway

Besides he said they are protected

its illegal to pick the lady slipper.

illegal, humph i scuffed my feet and scoffed

(not really seeing that as my problem either)

pick up your feet, you'll ruin your shoes

he smiled over his shoulder 

to where I lagging and still slightly scuffing 

Also if you pick the lady slippers, they can't grow.

he had me there

other people not seeing flowers

did not in the least bother 

a selfish four year old girl

going to jail for picking a flower

did worry me a bit

not about breaking laws

only whether i could bring my toys

but to be responsible for the murder of flower?

now that was troubling

if i should pick her

she would wither and die

her pretty pink blossoms shaped like fairy pointe shoes?

little flowers that never hurt anyone 

whose sole job was to make the forest nice

i decided to leave the lady slipper to her work and announced this to grampa

grampa in his plaid flannel coat

took his less-selfish little girl's hand

in his big printers ink stained one

and we walked home, we two, content in our company

Warning Poem: Coming-of-Age and Youth

National Poetry Month: 'When I Am Old, I Shall Wear Purple...'
'Warning', by Jenny Joseph isn't just the Red Hat Society's poem. 'Warning' says that we are persons of individuality. 'Warning' is a coming-of-age poem for those who missed or misplaced the joys of youth and originality. This is my commentary on growing older. Use Warning as an inspiration for your own coming-of-age, self-awareness poems. Read on..